Chocolate Ginger Leaves And Acorns Food

CHOCOLATE GINGER LEAVES AND ACORNS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl.
• Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses, and grated ginger; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic; refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft at any time, freeze until firm.) Cut out shapes with 3-inch acorn- or leaf-shaped cookie cutters; space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Score designs with a paring knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE-GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.Add egg, molasses, and grated ginger; mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined.
• Halve dough; flatten into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Transfer disks, one at a time, to a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4 inch thick. (If dough gets soft, freeze until firm.) Use3-inch acorn or leaf cookie cutters to make shapes; place 1 inch apart on sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Score designs with a knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE & GINGER REFRIGERATOR SQUARES

Steps:

• Line a 20 x 30cm tin with baking parchment. Mix the biscuits with most of the ginger, then set aside. Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth and glossy. Pour this over the biscuit and ginger mixture and mix together well.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the reserved ginger, then flatten the top lightly - it doesn't need to be completely smooth. Chill for at least 2 hrs, or overnight, before cutting into small squares.

CHOCOLATE & GINGER TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3-4. Butter and line a 23cm round springform tin with a disc of buttered baking parchment. Lightly dust the inside of the tin with cocoa and tip out excess.
• Put the chocolate and butter into a medium-size heatproof bowl, add the ginger wine and set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Tip both the sugars into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer and add the egg yolks. Whisk until pale and light. Pour the melted chocolate and butter into the yolks and stir until smooth. With another large, spotlessly clean bowl and whisk, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold a stiff peak.
• Sift the almonds and ginger into the chocolate mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add one-third of the egg whites and stir in to loosen the mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites until combined.
• Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and gently spread level using a palette knife. Gently warm the ginger preserve until it's just spreadable and carefully spoon onto the cake in small dollops. Spoon over the remaining chocolate mixture, spread level and bake just below the middle shelf of the oven for 50 mins-1 hr until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a moist crumb attached. Allow the cake to cool in the tin and don't be dismayed if the top sinks and cracks.
• To make the ganache icing, tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Then add the cream, butter and ginger wine. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and velvety smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Carefully run a palette knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, then put on a serving plate. Spread the ganache over the top, and leave to set before serving.

CHOCOLATE-OLIVE OIL CRISPS

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, egg, honey, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll level teaspoons of dough into balls and coat in sanding sugar. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment, spaced about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes.
• Bake, rotating sheets once, until cookies are flattened and set around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE-GINGER LEAVES AND ACORNS

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, cocoa, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses, and grated ginger; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic; refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Working with one disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft at any time, freeze until firm.) Cut out shapes with 3-inch acorn- or leaf-shape cookie cutters; space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Score designs with a paring knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.